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Beale could handle league easily: Tuqiri

Adrian Warren

Dual international Lote Tuqiri has no doubts his former NSW Waratahs teammate Kurtley Beale could handle a switch to rugby league as the match-winning back weighs up which code he will play next year.

Beale, who played league growing up and has never discounted switching to the 13-man code, has yet to decide what he will do beyond 2014.

South Sydney NRL winger Tuqiri played alongside Beale in the Waratahs backline for three of the seven seasons he spent in rugby and he has no doubts the Wallabies star could handle the transition to league.

"Definitely. I've spoken to him about it before," Tuqiri said on Tuesday.

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"I think Kurtley has got a bloody heap of talent and he grew up playing rugby league, so he can play both games with ease."

Key playing and coaching members of the Waratahs, who have finished top of this season's Super Rugby log, want Beale to stay and are hopeful he will remain in their fold.

"I love playing with KB. I was here when he first started playing," said Waratahs and Wallabies No.8 Wycliff Palu, referring to Beale's first five-season stint with NSW before two years at the Melbourne Rebels.

"The energy he brings, off the field as well. He's a good guy to have around the squad, always cracking jokes. Hopefully he stays."

Waratahs assistant coach coach Daryl Gibson said he thought Beale had been in fantastic form this year and would find it difficult to leave such a tight team.

"We've created a really great environment here and one he's certainly flourished in," Gibson said.

"I wouldn't expect him to leave that."

Tuqiri, who was part of the NSW squad that were losing Super finalists 2005 and 2008, thought his old side had a good chance to win their first title.

"They play a really good style of footy, scoring a lot of points," Tuqiri said.